Overview
Volunteer: Amazonian Forest Foods and Culinary Arts in Ecuador — Location: Tena, Ecuador. Duration: minimum 4 weeks. Start dates: monthly; enquire with us when applying. Cost: $500 for the first week + $350 for each additional week. Fee includes: all food, accommodation, pre-departure and in-country support, orientation and all project-related activities. Does not include: flights, airport pickup, travel insurance, personal spending, visas and vaccinations.
Please note: You are not replacing any member of staff, but helping alongside them, whilst learning new skills. Simply click the APPLY Button to submit your application, and ask as many questions as you need.
Location & Logistics
* Location: Tena, Ecuador
* Duration: minimum 4 weeks
* Start dates: Start dates are each month; enquire with us when applying.
* Cost: $500 for the 1st week + $350 for each additional week
* Fee Includes: all food, accommodation, pre-departure + in-country support, orientation and all project related activities
* Does not Include: flights, airport pickup, travel insurance, personal spending, visas and vaccinations
Benefits
* Learn about Ecuadorian culinary arts, with a focus on interculturality and sustainability of the field
* Sample and learn about some of the thousands of fruit, vegetable, nut, spice, and insect species
* Collaborate with farmers on projects to diversify and add value to their agroforestry farms, and research domestic and international markets for local products
* Opportunity to organize Farm to Table (Forest to Table) meals to showcase the riches of the forest and educate others about traditional Amazonian foods
* In addition to culinary arts and agriculture, opportunity to learn about indigenous rights, ecotourism, Fair Trade and organic certifications, social entrepreneurship, and community tourism projects
* Research + dissertation support available with partner organizations and universities, if requested
Responsibilities
* Learn from local farmers and cooks about the intersection between ancestral farming/hunting/fishing practices and how they connect to modern cuisine and income-generation projects
* Identify edible and medicinal plants and understand their importance in traditional cooking and medicine
* Prepare traditional dishes with locals and experiment by adding different flavors and spices
* Contribute to work in the chakra (traditional agroforestry farm) by planting, weeding, and harvesting products
* Create and/or clear trails in medicinal plant gardens or chakras with locals
* Support eco-tourism projects and guide visitors as they learn about forest foods, traditional Amazonian dishes, and agroforestry systems
* Research local Amazonian products and national and international markets where they can be sold
Internships begin with an orientation in the city of Tena. After, interns spend the first weeks getting to know their host family and internship placements. Potential internship activities include:
* Learn from local farmers and cooks about the intersection between ancestral farming/hunting/fishing practices and how they connect to modern cuisine and income-generation projects
* Identify edible and medicinal plants and understand their importance in traditional cooking and medicine
* Prepare traditional dishes with locals and experiment by adding different flavors and spices
* Contribute to work in the chakra (traditional agroforestry farm) by planting, weeding, and harvesting products
* Create and/or clear trails in medicinal plant gardens or chakras with locals
* Support eco-tourism projects and guide visitors as they learn about forest foods, traditional Amazonian dishes, and agroforestry systems
* Research local Amazonian products and national and international markets where they can be sold
Interns live with host families, allowing them to forge meaningful connections with locals during their time in the Amazon. Some of the products you will learn about include broad examples such as ishpingo, ajo de monte, sacha inchik, chontacuro, chonta, and locally-grown turmeric and ginger.
All information above is subject to change. Please check the Global Nomadic website for the most up-to-date information when applying. Simply follow the link on the Apply Button above.
Seniority level
* Entry level
Employment type
* Volunteer / Internship
Job function
* Research, Training, and Science
Industries
* Environmental Services
* International Trade and Development
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